Deputy CM M B Vikramarka holds meeting at Secretariat

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who holds the finance portfolio, conducted pre-budget meetings with the departments of transport, Bbackward Classes welfare, endowments and environment at Secretariat on Tuesday. Transport and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar and endowments and environment minister Konda Surekha, senior officials of their respective departments including finance were present in the meeting.

Bhatti asked the transport department to explore innovative ways to improve the revenue earnings of TSRTC without burdening the people. He said people had high expectations on the Congress government which promised Six Guarantees and it required sincere efforts from officials to improve earnings of the government to fulfil its promises. 

Bhatti said that the Congress government was already implementing a free bus travel scheme for women under the Maha Lakshmi guarantee scheme, costing



the RTC nearly `2,500 crore per year. He promised that the government will release funds to TSRTC every month and not burden the corporation.

Bhatti stated the implementation of the free bus travel for women scheme successfully had necessitated the purchase of new buses and there was a demand for the recruitment in the RTC. Prabhakar sought adequate funds in the Budget for the welfare of BCs. He asked officials to give priority to improve the functioning of BC residential schools and colleges besides study circles to facilitate BC students to undergo coaching for various competitive exams. 

Bhatti asked the endowments department to focus on developing temple tourism by taking advantage of the presence of a significant number of prominent temples. He said endowments and forests departments should work in coordination to develop eco-tourism in the state.